This invention relates to metal bonded ceramic, e.g. carbide, nitride, and carbonitride, articles for use as cutting tools, wear parts, and the like. In particular the invention relates to methods for producing such articles bonded with a binder including both nickel and aluminum.
The discovery and implementation of cobalt bonded tungsten carbide (WC-Co) as a tool material for cutting metal greatly extended the range of applications beyond that of conventional tool steels. Over the last 50 years process and compositional modifications to WC-Co materials have led to further benefits in wear resistance, yet the potential of these materials is inherently limited by the physical properties of the cobalt binder phase. This becomes evident when cutting speeds are increased to a level which generates sufficient heat to soften the metal binder. The high speed finishing of steel rolls serves as an example of a metal cutting application where the tool insert must maintain its cutting edge geometry at high temperature and resist both wear and deformation.
Unfortunately, the wear characteristics of WC-Co based cemented carbides are also affected by the high temperature chemical interaction at the interface between the ferrous alloy workpiece and the cemented carbide tool surface. Additions of cubic carbides (i.e. TiC) to the WC-Co system have led to some improvement in tool performance during steel machining, due in part to the resulting increased hardness and increased resistance to chemical interaction. However, the performance of such TiC-rich WC-Co alloys is influenced by the low fracture toughness of the TiC phase, which can lead to a tendency toward fracture during machining operations involving intermittent cutting, for example milling.
Accordingly, a cemented carbide material suitable for cutting tools capable of withstanding the demands of hard steel turning (wear resistance) and steel milling (impact resistance) would be of great value. Such a new and improved material is described herein.